9 Great Gifts for Your Favorite Hooper

1. A Hoop They Don’t Already Have

Just one hoop is never enough. There are hoops available in every color combination imaginable. From fabric hoops, to super shiny hoops, its easy to find something to match a personality. Hoopnotica even released a Black Leather Hoop for Black Friday this year. It’s beautiful, and it must feel amazing to dance with it on your skin.

No hooper is going to complain about an extra hoop, but there are so many different kinds that you should have no problem filling an empty spot in your recipients collection. There are five types of hoops. Heavier hoops made with irrigation tubing, lighter performance polypro hoops, LED lighted hoops, travel hoops, and mini poi hoops. They are all useful for different kinds of hoop tricks. If you know that your favoite hooper only uses one hoop, a set of minis would be a great idea for them to broaden their practice. If you have a friend that has been hooping for a while, but is lacking a high performance hoop, a polypro hoop is a great option. If your hooper likes to take their hoop out at night, an LED hoop will be a great addition to their hoop collection. Do you know someone who travels a lot but has a hoop that doesn’t break down? A collapsible travel hoop will allow them to bring their hoop love wherever their travels take them.

3. Video Camera

Every hooper I know has recorded themselves hooping at some point. There is really no other way to see how your tricks look without it. We also connect with the online hooping community through practice videos, performance videos, and tutorials. A great option for hoopers is the Sony Bloggie Touch Camera. This camera has a 3″ touch screen and fits right in your pocket, so its easy to take a long to hoop jams, drum circles, and festivals. It’s super easy to share your videos and it has a built in USB arm so you don’t have to worry about any cords. Another awesome thing about this camera is that you can take high quality photos while you are recording high quality video. It’s a great way to capture natural and impressive photos during a performance.

Another camera option is the GoPro HD HERO2. The great thing about this camera is that you can actually attach it to your hoop to record your hooping practice like never before. Don’t worry about dropping your hoop and ruining the camera either. The GoPro is shockproof and waterproof. This is a true HD camera that can shoot photos at timed intervals until the SD card is filled. You will need a mount to be able to attach the camera to your hoop.

4. Travel Bags

If you know a hooper that is always on the go, a travel bag is a great idea for a gift. These zippered, heavy duty nylon hoop bags from Troo Hoops can hold one or two collapsed hoops. There is also a pocket for your phone, id, and keys.

Another way transport your hoop is with a hoop strap. Not only can you quickly and conveniently carry your hoop with this strap from Hoopnotica, but it will also fit around your yoga or pilates mat.

5. Hoop Huggie

Hoop Huggie

I store my hoops horribly. Because of this, sometimes they get warped and are no longer a perfect circle. A Hoop Huggie is great for hoop storage. It can hold up to 10-12 hoops and will help them to keep their shape. If you take your LED hoop out to play a lot, a Hoop Huggie is great to keep moisture, sand, and dirt from getting into the switch. If you order a custom huggie, you can add a hidden inner pocket to hold your cell phone, keys, wallet, or LED charger.

6. Clothes

A lot of people like to shy away from giving clothing as a gift, but if you have good taste, and are feeling brave, there is a good selection of clothing made specifically for hoopers at hoopclothes.com. If you know a performing hooper, their flared pants and tunic shirts are especially great to wear during a performance in front of a crowd. Want to give the gift of clothing but you aren’t sure of what size or style? They also offer gift certificates on their site.

7. A small, clip on mp3 player

There are few things better than hooping to good music. Many mp3 players and cell phones are too bulky and interfere with a hoopers practice. A small clip on mp3 player like the Sansa Clip Zip makes it easy to listen to your favoirte music while hoop dancing. This mp3 player has an FM radio, voice recorder, and a stop watch

8. Grip Gloves

It is a common problem to have some bruising when you are learning new hoop tricks. Especially when you are working with off body moves. The delicate skin on the top of your hand bruises easily. These Grip Gloves from Hoopnotica offer padding to protect from bruising, and grip to keep a hold of your hoop when your palms get sweaty.

9. Gift Sets

Do you know someone who has already fallen in love with the hoop, but has yet to start their practice? Or, do you want to introduce someone you care about to hooping? One of these gifts sets from Troo Hoops is a great way to get things started for them. Most of these sets come with a hoop and a instructional video. There is also a DIY Hoop Party Pack which includes everything you need to make three of your own hoops.

Nicole fell in love with hooping when she watched a girl spinning a hoop at a local kava bar. That was five years ago, and she's been hooping ever since. Nicole also has her own web and graphic design business, Ventus Design Studios.